The Answering Machine
by grayscales
Summary: Luis says something he shouldn't; Corny is torn between loyalty to his sister and forgiving Luis. The only thing that connects them is a nightly phone call... Slash. Oneshot.


**Disclaimer- I don't own Ms. Black's characters, but I am planning to steal these two. **

The Answering Machine

The voice that came from the old, off-white answering machine was soft. The man who spoke seemed very far away and it made the one listening want to cry. "Hi." There was a pause, and they both held their breath.

"Well. I guess you won't pick up." Another pause.

"Not that you should or anything," His voice was rushed, and he sounded nervous.

"But I really want to talk to you, to hear your voice, anything." The voice sighed and it had a raw ache to it that made Corny's heart break more than it had already. But he would not answer that phone.

"So. Hi." Corny could almost see the adorable way Luis bit his lip when he paused. "I called you last night, to wish you a happy New Year's, but you didn't pick up. And I didn't leave a message." Didn't leave a message? After what he said, he wouldn't even leave a message?

"Corny. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. Won't you forgive me? I didn't mean it. I didn't mean for it to sound like that. Please. You know I love you. I need you. Please, Corny, Neil, pick up the phone. Please."

There was a pause as Corny moved slightly towards the phone. "Corny, I—" Luis's voice was cut off by the machine's artificial one. "Your time for leaving a message has expired. Please hang up and try again."

Corny backed away from his mother's phone and answering machine quickly, as if surprised to find himself there. Thank God for that wake-up call. As he stared at the machine, Corny's had reached towards the delete button, and he pressed his nail against it.

"Message deleted," the machine dutifully replied and Corny sighed.

After that, he retreated back into his room, which had been filled with his mother's things after he moved out. He stared at the ceiling until he finally fell asleep.

The phone didn't ring again all night.The next night, it was the same. Luis called again at about 11:30, and  
apologized. Apologized again and again, but Corny couldn't find it in himself to forgive him, even if he did believe that he was sorry.

Luis had pretty much said that it was Janet's fault that Janet was dead. That it was  
a kelpie's nature to do such things, to kill boys' sisters. If Janet hadn't gone with him, hadn't been spiteful enough to want to punish her boyfriend, then she wouldn't be dead. Luis had said it oh so calmly, with his arm slung around Corny's shoulder. For a moment, Corny hadn't believed that came out of his boyfriend's mouth, but when it did register, he stiffened and moved away. Only then did Luis realize his mistake. How could he _say_ something like that? Betrayal seemed to pump through his veins like adrenalin, followed closely by freezing cold anger.

"Corny," Luis had said. "Corny, I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

Corny just shook his head, and wouldn't even look at him. He said nothing, but grabbed some of his things, stuffed them inside an overnight bag, and walked away from the Moon in a Cup café. Luis didn't follow. "I'm sorry." It was whispered into Luis's phone, and Corny's answering machine mimicked it, just before it cut him off. Like last night, Corny deleted the message, but he could barely hold back tears.

He went to bed, but that night, he dreamed of Janet and Luis, and Kaye and Roiben, Ravus and Val and Ruth, and kelpies and carousels. They spun in happy circles, but the carousel slowed, and when it stopped, Luis and Janet were out of sight. A few nights after that, Kaye was lounging on Corny's couch, her human form seeping away to show her disturbing black eyes. She yawned and rambled on to Corny about the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, and, of course, her Knight in Shining (or Not-So-Shining, depending which court you prefer) Armor. Corny glanced nervously at the clock, whose red, artificial glow seemed ominous in the darkening room. 11:28.

"C'mon, Kaye, let's go into my room."

Kaye glanced at him and laughed. She put her hand to her forehead and proclaimed, dramatically, "You will not seduce me, Cornelius. I will not compromise my virtue that I can join you in your room!" She threw her head back and laughed mischievously.

Corny stood, his hands in front of him, twitching nervously. "Seriously, Kaye, let's go."

"What's wrong, Corny? Why can't we stay in here?" Despite her whining tone, she rose to her feet to follow Corny.

And the phone rang."Shit." Corny cursed under his breath, biting his lip. "C'mon Kaye."

Kaye looked at him, her eyebrows raised. "Aren't you gonna get the phone?"

"No." Corny turned on his heel, and started to walk towards his room. A  
thought occurred to him, and he turned quickly, "Don't you dare pick it up  
either." Kaye had been reaching toward it to do just that, and she glared at  
him.

"Why not? Who do you not want to talk to?"

Corny sighed, but figured she didn't need an answer: the machine was  
already relaying its message.

"Corny, please. I miss you. I'm so sorry. So, so sorry. I didn't mean what I said about Janet, or the kelpie. I didn't mean it. I wasn't thinking."

Luis had stopped talking, and Corny could only hear him breathe into the phone. "Please. Corny. I love you."

Kaye stared at Corny while listening to the message Luis left, and she asked him quietly, "Are you going to get the phone, Corny?"

Corny laughed harshly. He turned and walked back into his room, locking the door.

It was the first night he didn't listen to Luis's message.

When he woke up in the morning, Kaye was gone, and the message had been erased. The next night was the same. It was almost 11:30, and Corny was sitting on his couch, waiting. His hands rested in his lap and he vaguely counted the days.

Seven. A whole week.

The thought depressed him.

And then came the telltale ring. "Hi, Corny, it's me, Luis. I wasn't going to call tonight, but I dialed this number without thinking about it. So here I am, talking to my phone, because I know you aren't listening. You're finished with me, and I'm starting to get a little stalker-y." Luis laughed weakly. "So, Corny, just one more time. And then I won't call you again."

He couldn't feel anything, but Corny was sure the answering machine just told him his heart was breaking.

"I love you. I miss you. And I need you. But I guess you don't need me, and," A small, sad laugh. "That's okay. I just wanted you to know, one last time. I love you." There was a long pause, and Corny stared at the phone, mute.

"So. I guess that's it then. Bye Corny."

It couldn't have been more than a second, but it felt like hours.

He dived for the phone, and pressed the on button, holding it to his ear.

"Luis?! Luis, are you here?" His voice was hoarse from lack of use (and he  
could use a little water), but he was sure Luis would be able to hear him. That is, if he was still on the line.

"Luis?"

And then, Corny knew. Luis had hung up, and that was it.

But then, on the answering machine, that blessed invention, Corny could hear something.

The sound was amplified breathing, and if it hadn't been Luis's it would have been eerie. But Corny took a deep breath and spoke into the phone.

"Hi Luis."

"Hi Corny."

**A/N: Okay. Major thanks to Amethyst Grey, one, because she rocks, and two, because she beta'd this story's miserable draft. –sends virtual gratitude- If you would like to take some time out of your busy life to review, I would love you forever. Hope you enjoy this.**

**Much Love,  
Scales. **


End file.
